3 minute read

A look at all 13 of the A-League Men clubs, with Melbourne Victory tipped to be among the main challengers for Central Coast's crown.

* ADELAIDE UNITED

Coach: Carl Veart

Last season finish: 8th

Notable ins: Bart Vriends, Ben Folami.

Notable outs: Nestory Irankunda, Hiroshi Ibusuki, Ben Halloran.

The departures of Irankunda and Ibusuki are going to leave a huge hole at rebuilding Adelaide. Ibusuki scored 15 goals last season, while Irankunda lit up the league with his eight goals and dazzling trickery. A second consecutive campaign without finals could cost coach Veart his job.

* AUCKLAND FC

Coach: Steve Corica

Last season finish: N/A

Notable ins: Alex Paulsen, Hiroki Sakai, Jake Brimmer.

Notable outs: N/A

Who knows what Auckland will bring? A real mystery surrounds a side that is littered with A-League experience with Brimmer, Dan Hall and Scott Galloway handy additions to Corica's maiden Auckland squad. Sakai has 74 caps for Japan and will be key to ensuring the new Kiwi club keep pace in their debut season.

* BRISBANE ROAR

Coach: Ruben Zadkovich

Last season finish: 9th

Notable ins: Rafael Struick, Walid Shour.

Notable outs: Kai Trewin, Tom Aldred.

Brisbane's coaching merry-go-round left everyone in a spin last season, but Zadkovich has now had a full pre-season to get everyone in line. The Roar will be hoping they struck gold with young Indonesian international Struick and Lebanese international Shour. But the lack of starpower in the squad means the Roar are tipped to miss the finals again.

* CENTRAL COAST MARINERS

Coach: Mark Jackson

Last season finish: 1st (premiers and champions)

Notable ins: Trent Sainsbury, Vitor Feijao, Alfie McCalmont.

Notable outs: Max Balard, Josh Nisbet, Jacob Farrell.

Another year, another mass exodus, but by now you'd be a fool to bet against the Mariners. Sainsbury's experience will be crucial to their fortunes at a time the club's future is on shaky ground. Miguel Di Pizio proved a creative spark at the end of last season and expect him to continue to shine.

* MACARTHUR FC

Coach: Mile Sterjovski

Last season finish: 5th

Notable ins: Luke Brattan, Dino Arslanagic, Chris Ikonomidis.

Notable outs: Ulises Davila, Clayton Lewis, Raphael Borgues Rodrigues. 

After an off-season overshadowed by the spot-fixing scandal which engulfed the club, Macarthur claimed the Australia Cup. Brattan gives the Bulls instant leadership and with a point to prove after being unsigned by Sydney FC. Jake Hollman has the chance to establish himself as the team's creative linchpin.

* MELBOURNE CITY

Coach: Aurelio Vidmar

Last season finish: 6th

Notable ins: Andreas Kuen, Nathaniel Atkinson, Yonatan Cohen.

Notable outs: Jamie Maclaren, Curtis Good, Terry Antonis, Tolgay Arslan.

The extension of Marco Tilio's loan deal from Celtic is a huge bonus for City, but the loss of Maclaren and Arslan is a massive blow after the pair combined for 23 goals last season. There's always big expectations on City, and Vidmar needs to do better than last season's sixth-placed finish.

* MELBOURNE VICTORY

Coach: Patrick Kisnorbo

Last season finish: 3rd (runners-up)

Notable ins: Jing Reec, Mitch Langerak, Nikos Vergos.

Notable outs: Chris Ikonomidis, Jake Brimmer, Paul Izzo.

The Tony Popovic era at Melbourne Victory finished with a 3-1 grand final defeat to Central Coast. But one star coach has been replaced with another following the appointment of Kisnorbo. Victory are one of the favourites to take out this season's title, and the loan deal to bring in goalkeeper Langerak in January could prove crucial.

* NEWCASTLE JETS

Coach: Rob Stanton

Last season finish: 10th

Notable ins: Lachlan Rose, Eli Adams, Wellissol.

Notable outs: Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Trent Buhagiar, Lucas Mauragis.

After years of uncertainty the Jets have finally settled on new owners. While they have yet to splash the cash this Newcastle side has the quality to bring a few of the league's bigger names unstuck. Stamatelopoulos's goals will be missed but Brazilian import Wellissol looks a find and Rose's work-rate means the Jets won't die wondering. 

* PERTH GLORY

Coach: David Zdrilic

Last season finish: 12th (wooden spoon)

Notable ins: Josh Risdon, Brandon O'Neill.

Notable outs: Stefan Colakovski, Daniel Bennie.

Glory leaked a whopping 69 goals last season, including an astounding 23 in the final four matches in what eventually led to a parting of ways from coach Alen Stajcic. Zdrilic has been tasked with turning things around, and Adam Taggart - who won the Golden Boot last season with 20 goals - again holds the key.

* SYDNEY FC

Coach: Ufuk Talay

Last season finish: 4th

Notable ins: Douglas Costa, Patryk Klimala, Anas Ouahim.

Notable outs: Jake Girdwood-Reich, Luke Brattan, Robert Mak.

This season shapes as one where Sydney can re-establish themselves as the premier club in the competition under the guidance of Talay. Costa's pedigree and promising performances from him and Ouahim bode well. If Klimala can get among the goals early on then Sydney will be well on their way to being a real threat for silverware.

* WELLINGTON PHOENIX

Coach: Giancarlo Italiano

Last season finish: 2nd

Notable ins: Kazuki Nagasawa, Hideki Ishige, Stefan Colakovski.

Notable outs: Alex Paulsen, Bozhidar Kraev, Oskar Zawada.

After upsetting many pre-season predictions and going desperately close to silverware, the Phoenix will no longer be a surprise packet. The loss of Zawada up top and Paulsen's controversial loan move to Auckland leave them with big holes to fill. 

* WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS

Coach: Alen Stajcic

Last season finish: 7th

Notable ins: Juan Mata, Bozhidar Kraev, Jeong Tae-wook.

Notable outs: Marcelo, Lachlan Brook, Dylan Pierias.

New coach Stajcic has tipped Nicolas Milanovic to challenge for Socceroos honours. The Wanderers attack is layered with class with Mata and Milanovic expected to lay on plenty of chances for a fit-again Brandon Borrello and Swedish import Marcus Antonsson. Jeong has big boots to fill at the back following Marcelo's departure.

* WESTERN UNITED

Coach: John Aloisi

Last season finish: 11th

Notable ins: Hiroshi Ibusuki, Tate Russell.

Notable outs: Lachlan Wales, Josh Risdon.

Western United have finished seventh and 11th since winning the title two years ago, placing big pressure on Aloisi to get his team back into the finals. Ibusuki is a huge signing, but plenty of experience has walked out the door, including Wales, Risdon and Steven Lustica.